Do you love feta cheese? Do you even care about the nutrition value of foods you eat? Do you like to know how much calcium, protein, sodium, fat, and cholesterol your food contains?
In this article, you will learn why feeding your cat feta cheese is improper and why it could potentially even be dangerous.
Let’s begin.
What is feta cheese?
Feta cheese is a source of calcium and protein, and is considered a healthy alternative to other cheeses.
Salads with this kind of cheese are delicious and satisfying.
Feta is a brined curd cheese made from sheep’s milk.
Because it contains more calcium than cheese made from cow’s milk, goat’s milk cheese is considered a healthier alternative. Pastries, salads, and sandwiches are among popular uses for feta cheese.
It has a creamy mouth feel and a tangy flavor that are unmistakable.
Because it contains more calcium than cheese made from cow’s milk, goat’s milk cheese is considered a healthier alternative.
Feta cheese is marketed in many different types and flavors. It is a popular choice to be used on burgers and hot dogs because of its creamy texture and tangy flavor.
Pastries, omelets, salads, and sandwiches are among the most popular content used for the feta cheese.
Its tangy taste, as well , makes it useful in a number of different recipes.
Can Cats Eat Feta Cheese?
Feta cheese is good for cats because it contains both of these nutrients.
Feta cheese has less lactose than milk, making it a good choice for lactose intolerant cats.
Lactose, the main carbohydrate in milk, will feed the bacteria in the bladder causing urinary tract infections. Feta cheese is all protein with no lactose. Cats can also ingest other types of cheeses.
Because cats are lactose intolerant, the minuscule amount of lactose in feta cheese will not affect them.
They also lack galactosidase, an intestinal enzyme that breaks down galactosides, the main structural components of lactose.
Therefore, cats cannot digest lactose the way humans do. They experience gastrointestinal discomfort and may have bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence, and gas production from eating dairy products.
Feta cheese also provides protein and calcium, making this cheese an ideal addition to your cat’s diet.
Cats need protein to maintain muscular health and calcium to strengthen bones and teeth. Feta cheese contains both of these important nutrients, meaning that your cat can benefit from eating feta cheese.
Why is feta cheese Bad for cats?
unpasteurized milk
The milk used in the manufacturing of cheese has not lost its nutritional content.
However, this milk is harmful to cats because the balanced amounts of proteins and calcium that are present in unpasteurized milk have not been preserved.
This milk is also contaminated with bacteria that cause the deadly illness in cats that were unpasteurized milk.
In addition, raw cow’s milk contains dangerous bacteria such as salmonella, which will endanger a cat’s health. Feta cheese is only one example of cheese made using unpasteurized milk.
Unpasteurized milk has dangerous bacteria in it similar to that found in cat feces. Therefore, unpasteurized milk would feed these bacteria to your cat if they ate it.
High Sodium Content
Even if your cat can digest the high sodium, it can still make him or her very sick.
The higher salt content makes it easier for your cat to get sick. Because of this, we recommend avoiding all foods that are high in sodium.
Feta cheese has a lot softer texture than other types of cheese, so some cats may prefer it.
Sodium, like lactose, drives up blood pressure and blood sugar. These elevated levels can lead to hypertension, liver disease, diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes.
Because salt is used in the curing process conveyor belts, it mixes in with the curds and ends up in the finished product.
It is then very difficult, if not impossible, to remove. Therefore, high sodium content is a reason why feta cheese is bad for cats.
Higher Lactose Content
Feta is a good alternative snack for cats with a balanced diet, but cheese in general should not be fed to them every day.
As a result, you may expose your pet to harmful stomach acids. The excess sodium in the Feta cheese will not pass through your cat’s body, but can cause the kidneys to over-produce.
With excessive acid in the blood, the kidneys cannot function well and will fail over time.
Feta cheese, in fact, has much higher sugar, fat, and protein content than other types of cheese.
This makes it a poor choice for your cat to consume. Not only is High Sodium Content dangerous to your cat, but it is also not a healthy choice.
Even yet, when compared to rump roast, Feta cheese is even higher in sodium. This means it is harmful for cats to eat Feta cheese.
Lactose-intolerant individuals may be able tolerate some Feta cheese. However, those that suffer from severe lactose intolerance would only be safe feeding their cats other reduced lactose products like Cheddar and Swiss.
What happens if you feed your cat Feta cheese?
If you give your cat too much of a good thing, bad things are sure to follow:
Eating too much salt
Salt is an essential nutrient in a healthy diet, but too much of it could lead to life-threatening complications for your cat.
That’s why you need to keep track of how much salt you give your cat, especially when it involves salty cheese. This hazardous food isn’t just bad for its taste, but also difficult for your cat to digest.
Keep this dangerous food away from your cat, and do not feed it to her for at least a few days. This will give her stomach time to recover from the high-fat content of Feta cheese.
Feta cheese as pet food is tempting for your cat, but it is also dangerous for her. Some cats love cheese, but if eaten in large quantities, it could lead to serious health problems.
It is therefore important to monitor your cat’s cheese intake to ensure that she is consuming no more than the amount needed.
Eating a lot of fat
The obesity, heart disease and pancreatitis that may result from this can be avoided by making healthy food choices.
Cats do need fats, but they are limited in what they may eat. The fat level of certain cheeses may be rather considerable, for example.
These fats cannot be absorbed into the body and make the fat go elsewhere in the body. This is why a lot of people believe that fat turns your cat fatty because cat’s body does not need this fat.
The fats that are present in cheese have the property of preserving them, so they do not get wasted as often.
Therefore, cats do not need to eat more fat in order to meet their daily energy requirements.
Lactose intolerance is causing a stomach ache.
If you feed your kitty cheese, be aware that it could cause Lactose intolerance, an allergic reaction to Lactose, a type of sugar found in milk.
Lactose intolerance in cats may develop over time. This can result in vomiting and diarrhea.
This is usually temporary but could make your cat ill if it is a chronic allergy.
Bloating, diarrhea, and vomiting are the most common symptoms. The vomit and diarrhea will stop when Lactose intolerance is treated as a health issue; however, the abdominal distention may persist.
A tiny bit of cheese, such as one, two, or three cubes, should pose no problems.
Is it OK to give cats cheese?
Cats are unlikely to be overweight when fed cheese.
Giving cats cheese, as you can see, has its pros and cons.
Some cats like to snack on cheese, and while you’re feeding them fresh catnip, they can enjoy the cheese too.
Still, keeping your feline pets away from cheese is a good idea.
It will keep your cat from feeling sick or bloated as if he was eating fatty food.
Also Read: Can Cats Eat Cheesecake?
How Is Feta Cheese For Kittens?
Feta cheese is nutritious and easy on your kitten’s stomach.
Because kittens’ stomachs are stronger than adult cats’, they tolerate this food much better than adults.
However, you should only give small amounts of feta cheese to your kittens.
Cats don’t usually need to drink a lot of water, but feta cheese may give them diarrhea if they do.
Kittens that consume too much salty food may become obese and suffer cardiac arrhythmias.
Conclusion
Cheese, particularly feta , is often a healthier option than other cheeses.
As a result, it’s hard not to have some cheese with our cats during the warm months of the year.
Even while we adore it, and our kitties do, cheese can be harmful for them to consume in large quantities.
Finding alternative foods that are both tasty and healthy for your furry friend is crucial in avoiding health problems in the future.
You can, of course, feed your cat a piece of cheese every once in a while. But by feeding it every day, you are more likely to be feeding it unhealthy fatty food that could be harmful or even fatal to your kitty.
The main thing is to keep those cheeses as special treats, not as something to serve regularly.
